Not much more to add - news is emerging this morning that Sony have shut down development for good this time.

So you can all look forward to some kind of Motorstorm/WipEout hybrid in the future when Mick Hocking decides to resurrect it at Evolution.

Probably.

22nd August 2012, 11:57 AM

rdmx

What on earth... not again...

22nd August 2012, 12:11 PM

Rapier Racer

Someone might want to close the other thread I made about this I am using my mobile and managed to miss this one sorry. Terrible news though :( we will miss you SL ...I'm not sure I'm looking forward to any Wipeout/Motorstorm cross bred game either it was a thought that crossed my mind when I saw the article .

I remember in 2009-2010 the same thing. And even was mixed with Evolution Studios. Nobody told anything more, just it was merged with Evolution Studios. Only in this site i saw that this "staff reduction" was not so big, and was only a few directors or chief programmers or whatever.
And then, the following year i see the SL logo in the trailer of the newest WipEout 2048. What happened here?

I don't want to see the following sh*t again, even if really Sony confirmed it.

Really 2048 sales were too low? Or maybe that Vita is the one causing that trouble not selling the expected?

If is this really true, first party Sony's games decreased my interest. Well, i'm not even interested in Uncharted. Just WipEout is one.

22nd August 2012, 12:42 PM

mdhay

Anything could've happened to them.

"It has been decided that Liverpool Studio should be closed. Liverpool Studio has been an important part of SCE Worldwide Studios since the outset of PlayStation, and have contributed greatly to PlayStation over the years. Everyone connected with Liverpool Studio, past and present, can be very proud of their achievements".

And of course, closing that studio down is the most smartest thing they could do(!)

"However, it was felt that by focusing our investment plans on other Studios that are currently working on exciting new projects, we would be in a stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers."

Exciting new projects? Where are they? Subjective opinion aside, I don't see any real innovation from you, and I can't help but feel that we'll never see that again.

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, maybe I'm longing for the days when we were customers and not consumers, but this just doesn't sit right. :|

22nd August 2012, 12:49 PM

chalovak

WHAT THE?!
Did I go back in time?
Is this some kind of mistake on this Forum and the date&time settings went nuts?
I just don't believe it.
Does this mean WipEout is no more?

As some of you may have heard Sony have chosen to close Studio Liverpool as of today.
This page will no longer be maintained by the WipEout Team.

We have loved making every game, every minute and every one of you. Keep the faith, keep loving WipEout.

Thank you for everything, Pilots. It's been an amazing journey and we'll miss you.
x

22nd August 2012, 12:57 PM

Mikahail

That corporate language disgusts me.

"However, it was felt that by focusing our investment plans on other Studios that are currently working on exciting new projects, we would be in a stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers."
The only exciting new project I saw was the new AAA title SL was working on. Maybe WipEout Trinity, maybe not. In fact, it was a certainly new high-quality game to come. Continue commiting suicide Sony, if it pleases you so much.

22nd August 2012, 01:00 PM

s0mmieUK

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalovak

Does this mean WipEout is no more?

Not necessarily. The IP will presumably remain in the Sony portfolio. Whether they ever use it again and who will develop if they do are different matters.

Sad news indeed.

22nd August 2012, 01:14 PM

ExaltedR3V3NG3

Now the only hope is a WipEout-ish game developed by Evolution Studios... RIP Psygnosis/Studio Liverpool, an important piece in PlayStation's history... :(

22nd August 2012, 01:15 PM

chalovak

The only thing I do not understand... What happened 2 years ago? Sony also closed the Studio, no? Was it reopened, or what?

UPD. Oh, I'm wrong, two years ago Sony closed some project, not the studio.

22nd August 2012, 01:15 PM

Staz-

Good bye WipEout. Good bye video game ...

No seriously, I can't believe that ...

22nd August 2012, 01:19 PM

Colonel

This is awful.

22nd August 2012, 01:23 PM

Mikahail

Apparently, they were working on a WipEout title since 12 to 18 months, from a Eurogamer source. If it's true, well played Sony. *applause with the most irony available*

You know. For 2048 i have preordered vita right away, for hd have bought ps3 and for pure - psp. Have no words.
Hope wipoeut don't die.

damn.. i have even just yesterday maked my own Pirhana.h and w2048 tshirts.

22nd August 2012, 02:01 PM

Colonel

Well half an hour later and I already regret asking about online as my first concern. Obviously my thoughts are with Studio Liverpool employees, I hope they are all okay, this must be terrible for them.

Thanks for everything guys. This is a sad day indeed.

22nd August 2012, 02:13 PM

Oryx Crake

I'm torn between sadness and outrage... oh and some amount of despair at how the gaming market these days more and more seems to avoid games that have challenge and innovation... blah!

These reports that SL were working on a Wipeout for PS4 launch make my heart sink, that would have been so damn cool :(

22nd August 2012, 02:26 PM

Blaey

This is a very sad day for all of us, especially the crew over at studio liverpool :( thoughts go out to them and the fantastic skills they showed us over the last 30 years. Sad to see them cancel a new wipeout too :/

22nd August 2012, 02:29 PM

Knux_Chaotix

I dont actually have words. This is a sad day for gaming. The industry is dying.

I haven't been around in a while, and the last time I was here I remember being just pretty negative towards 2048, but I figured I'd say a few words in light of the news:

Thanks for the memories. I'll always remember the PS1 era that to me felt inspired by the original WipEout games, and HD particularly for the raw amount of time and effort I put in to it, rather fondly. Some of the memories may well be the almost-hair-pulling-outta-frustration memories, but when you nailed that sub-XX time on a track you've been working on for ages... 'twas good.

Cheers.

22nd August 2012, 02:40 PM

DreamyElf

I just saw the news at eurogamer and I immediately felt depressed. :(
I remember Sony doing some redundancies (I hope I said the word correctly) back in 2010 in order to support Motorstorm over WO.
Then they hired some talents to make WO 2048 & now instead of focusing the resources in order to make a PS4 WO launch game, Sony closes the studio! wtf!

I'm really disappointed with Sony. Surely, with all know that racing games (except GT) don't sell well these days compared to the PSone and PS2 era, but at least Sony could have shown some respect to the company & game that contributed so much and became synonymous with the PlayStation brand.
Shutting down flagship & legendary games like WO BUT still support Motorstorm, Killzone etc. is completely unacceptable to me.

I hope for the best for the guys at Studio Liverpool and I want to thank them for the great & fun games they provided us through the years.

Let's hope one day we'll see another WO fellow pilots.

22nd August 2012, 02:45 PM

trk_rkd

This is a huge, huge shame, and represents a huge loss to sony's first party portfolio. I can't think of many games other than wipeout HD that delivered on the 60fps/1080p promises we were made at the start of the current console gen, or many portable racers that offered up the feature sets of pulse and pure. And Wipeout 3 SE is still my favourite console game of all time... RIP studio liverpool, you were truly one of the greats.

(Man, there really aren't many studios around now with roots going back to the 80s - ID software is the only one I can think of, off the top of my head.)

Best of luck to the team in their future endeavors.

22nd August 2012, 02:51 PM

vincoof

I know many people will hate me for writing that, but technically the last original WipEout creation was Wip3out back in 1999 (and WipEout 3 SE to some extent). Apart from Fusion which tried to make something new but wasn't a great game for many reasons, all WipEout sequels were more or less made from nostalgia and not really from a forward-looking racing era like the first WipEout games used to be. WipEout Pure was basically "hey I can play WO on my handheld console", and WipEout HD was basically "hey I can play WO in 1080p". Mind me, all the WipEout games were great (even if I didn't had the chance to play all of them as much as I wanted to) but very few of them punch you in the face like "wow, I've never played such racing game before". Yeah I know I sound like a douche but let's face it, the game series already died more than ten years ago.

I'm surprised Studio Liverpool survived that long and to everyone yelling at Sony for closing the studio for economical purposes I'd like to point that Sony did believe in this studio for many years even when the studio wasn't in a good mood so I'd rather say thanks to Sony.

Again, my 2c.

22nd August 2012, 02:53 PM

tommyjolly

What a pity, especially considering the mentioning of a new PS4 Wipeout game. Hope something from it will at least leak somewhere.

22nd August 2012, 03:05 PM

docfo4r

I didn't know a new Wipeout could have been developed for the PS4, that's really sad :(

Well, I started with Wipeout HD, so I might still have to discover the classic Wipeout games, but it's a weird feeling enjoying the past when there is no future.

On the other hand, even Wipeout might die out now, I hope to see you guys on the forum and that we keep ourselfes alive here. I really love this community and it's fun to organize races so I really hope we all will still enjoy what we have now and keep this place alive at least!

22nd August 2012, 03:05 PM

Boycey83

Quote:

Originally Posted by vincoof

I know many people will hate me for writing that, but technically the last original WipEout creation was Wip3out back in 1999 (and WipEout 3 SE to some extent).

Technically?! Well thanks for letting us know.

But in reality the last Wipeout game was 2048, which was an excellent game and a stunning technical feat made by an incredibly talented team. My hat is duly doffed to them and I wish them all the best for the future. It ain't easy being made redundant and I hope everyone lands on their feet.

22nd August 2012, 03:13 PM

Airrider

I don't know what to say.

I was about to hope that maybe with the activity on this forum we'd be our own real-world Antigravity Purity Coalition, flying the flag in the absence of the people gone, but nobody really wants to be put in that position, and me saying anything is pointless since I don't have the skills necessary to contribute anything to these projects except maybe planning and writing...